Imphal, January 31: In pursuance of their long standing demand for raising the age of superannuation from 60 to 62 years in accordance to UGC norms, college teachers in Manipur have threatened to launch intense agitation against the State Government.

Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here today, president of All Manipur College Teachers' Association (AMCTA) P Laingam Singh asserted that the agitation is to be launched in the interest of saving higher education in the State as the Government of Manipur has been keeping aside the demand from consideration inspite of knowing its significance for so long.

While disclosing that out of the total 1918 teachers required in 28 colleges presently under the Government of Manipur, the total number of sanctioned posts is only 1260 and the total number of regular teachers is only 982, Laingam said by February this year 42 teachers are due to be retired and that would leave only 940 regular college teachers only.

On the other hand, the age of superannuation of college teachers in accordance to the latest UGC norms has been fixed upto 65 years.

Consequently, the age of retirement of college teachers in 23 States/Union territories have been extended from 60 years to either 62 or 65 years, Laingam said.

Although the MPCC has issued an advertisement for appointment of college teachers on October 18, 2006, no further necessary measures have been taken up in this regard so far, he rued.

On top of this, he pointed out, as no regular principals have been appointed to the colleges for the last 20 years, the infrastuctural requirements in all the 28 Government colleges has become so acute today.

In such a situation, the standard of higher education i Manipur is bound to be deteriorated day by day and the indifferent attitude of the Government in this regard is becoming more glaring.

That is why we are hearing frequent reports of college closure, shortage of teachers and students resorting to strike an other form of agitation, Laingam maintained.

So, before retirement of 42 regular college teachers by February, AMCTA demands the Government to extend the age of superannuation of the teachers and fill up the vacant posts of teachers, Laingam said.

In case the Government remains quiet in this regard, the aggrieved college teachers would take recourse to various forms of intense agitation, he warned.

Recalling that a memorandum urging for extension of the age of superannuation of the college teachers had been submitted to the Prime Minister on December 8, 2006, Laingam informed that accordingly the PMO has send a letter to the State Government on July 19, 2007 along with the response of the UGC in the form of the copy of the order issued on March 23, 2007 for extension of retirement age of the college teachers till 65 years.

Over and above this, Education Secretary of Govt of India Sudib Banerjee had also written to the Chief Secretary of Manipur on April 18, 2006 giving strong instructions for doing the needful in this regard, he said, adding that inspite of all these, the State Government has been indifferent to the demand for raising the age of superannuation of the teachers without knowing that education in the concurrent list, Laingam lamented.

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